All The Best
by butterflygirl91
Summary: Elena turns her emotions back on, finally and must make a choice. When she chooses Damon, Stefan leaves town and writes back to his brother. Rated M for possible future chapters. Lots of Delena love. :) Written in response to a prompt given to me on tumblr.
1. Chapter 1

Elena sat on the couch of the Salvatore Boarding house. She sipped blood she'd drained from a blood-bag into a glass leisurely as she read a book. The thought of a cure was long gone, she'd graduated from high school…and everyone had gone their separate ways. Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, and Tyler had all gone off to college. Stefan had left town and asked that no one follow him. After Elena had finally turned her emotions back on, she'd insisted on staying in town. She knew it would be too easy to start over somewhere new and push the emotions away again. She needed to be here...she needed to walk these streets and be in this place and miss her brother...and let herself feel every painful moment of it.

Luckily, when her emotions had come back, the sire bond hadn't. It was broken for good, as far as they knew. It was at that point, she knew she had to make a choice. She knew she would lose one of them...it was inevitable...but she couldn't string them both along. It wasn't fair.

In the end, she'd chose Damon. She loved Stefan...she could never deny that. But when she'd wrapped her mind around the fact that she would certainly lose one of them, her choice had to be Damon. He was her best friend...the one who always understood...even if he didn't agree. She loved Stefan, but it was Damon she couldn't imagine her life without.

But all of that had been nearly a year ago. She and Damon had fallen into some kind of comfortable routine. They lived in the Boarding House together. Elena had her own room...but rarely used it. They were for all intense and purposes...a couple...and a good one at that. Though she could have never imagined Damon Salvatore being a good boyfriend, he'd proved her wrong. They fought, of course and at times, she swore she hated him...but the love always won out...and they always found their way back to each other.

That evening, Damon walked in, waving an envelope. walking over to the couch, he lifted up her legs and plopped down, letting them fall into his lap. "Hi." she smiled. Damon leaned in, giving her a kiss and then taking her glass of blood, he took a sip and handed her the envelope.**"We got a letter from baby bro."** he said. Elena looked it over. "It has your name on it. It's not to me." she said, handing it back to him. Damon sighed and took it back, tearing it open carefully. He turned to look at her for a moment, then began read it aloud.

_Damon, _

_I've spent the last few months traveling around Europe. Though I never believed I would find a place that felt as much like home as Mystic Falls, I finally have. I like being on my own and exploring places I haven't before. _

_I won't be returning to Mystic Falls. I no longer hold a grudge for you and Elena, but I can't watch you two together. I hope sometime in the future, we'll find a way to be brother's again…but for now, that isn't possible. She's an amazing girl, though…I'm sure you know that as well as I do. Take care of her brother, she deserves someone who loves her as much as you do. I truly, truly wish you two all the best. You have my blessing._

_All I ask in return is that you don't look for me. When I'm ready, I'll find you, brother. But for now, we have to go our separate ways. I lived over a hundred years before I knew Elena, yet somehow..I don't quite know who I am without her. Until I figure that out, I can't be your brother. _

_I hope you two are happy and all is well in Mystic Falls. I'll write again when I can, but please…don't try to find me. _

_All the best, _

_Stefan. _

__Damon cleared his throat when he stopped and Elena reached over, taking his hand. Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against his shoulder, wrapping both of her arms around one of his. "I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I know you miss him." she said. Damon shrugged. "Don't do that with me. Don't be the big, bad, vampire. I know you better than that." she said. He nodded slowly and leaned against her. **"He gave us his blessing." **he said, that crooked smile she'd fallen in love with gracing his lips. Elena returned the smile and nodded. Taking a deep breath, Damon sighed. **"So…for now…we'll be happy with that. And someday…we'll see him again." **he said, bravely. Elena offered him another smile and nodded again, kissing his shoulder.

Nearly twenty years later, Elena and Damon were living in Miami. When she'd finally learned to control her emotions and not let them overtake her, she had insisted on a fresh start for them. They'd had many fresh starts since then, of course. they could never stay in a place for more than a few years...but they were happy. Elena was writing for a local magazine from home and she and Damon were living in a little condo on the beach. Except for the random robbing of a blood bank, they lived human lives. They made dinner together every night, had friends over, went to the movies, cuddled on the couch. They'd even decided to finally get married. The wedding was only a month away and Elena was overwhelmed with details. There came a knock at the door and she sighed, tearing herself away from her laptop. Damon had gone out for groceries and so she was alone for a while, trying to pick out flower arrangements. **"Coming!"** she yelled to the person on the other side of the door. When she opened the door, she gasped. "St-Stefan?" she asked. In that moment, she couldn't help herself. She squealed and jumped, wrapping her arms around her long-lost friend. Stefan laughed and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. "What are you doing here?!" she asked. **"Oh, come on. You didn't think I was going to miss my big brother's wedding, did you?" **


	2. Chapter 2

Damon had gone out for groceries and so Elena was alone for a while, trying to pick out flower arrangements for their quickly approaching wedding. There was a knock at the door and Elena glanced up, moving to answer it. "Coming!" She called to the person on the other side of the door as she unchained it and opened it. When she saw him, Elena's mouth dropped open. "STEFAN?" she asked, in shock. In that moment, she couldn't help herself. She squealed and jumped on him, wrapping her arms around her long-lost friend. Stefan laughed, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. "What are you doing here?!" she asked. ** "Oh come on. You didn't think I was going to miss my big brother's wedding, did you?" **he asked with a smile.

"Come in, come in!" Elena offered, letting go of him and stepping back into the apartment she shared with Damon. "I just—I didn't expect you to come. I'm so glad you're here though. I've missed you." she smiled.**"Well, I couldn't stay away forever." **he smirked. **"And I missed you too, Elena. Where is my no-good brother anyway?" **he asked. "Out getting groceries." she said. She laughed at Stefan's raised eyebrow. "We live pretty human…except for the occasional blood bag, you'd never know we're vampires." she explained. **"Wow. I can't imagine my brother living like that. Looks like he's finally been tamed."** he smiled. Elena shrugged, pouring Stefan a glass of wine. Their hands brushed when she handed him the glass and she couldn't help but notice that he lingered, tangling his fingers in her's for just a second before taking the glass.

Just then, Damon walked in.** "They were out of the ricotta cheese I usually get so I had to get that stupid brand where you have to add the milk and and—"** he stopped, when he saw his brother sitting at his kitchen table. Stefan stood and Damon dropped the bags, walking over. He wrapped his arms around his brother, hugging him tightly. Elena smiled and leaned against the kitchen counter, watching them. After a minute, Damon pulled away from the hug. **"I'm-I'm sorry. I didn't expect…What are you doing here?"** he asked, his eyes still wide with shock. Stefan smiled. **"I missed my brother."** he admitted

While the brother's caught up, Elena put away the groceries and started dinner. She could hear laughing in the kitchen her stomach fluttered at the idea. She and Damon were happy...beyond happy...but she knew how much it meant that his brother was back...Damon would finally feel at peace with everything. Elena sat the table and dished out the food, calling for the boys. They sat down and continued their conversation. Occasionally they'd include Elena, but she was content just watching them. It was amazing...she'd never seen them like this before, so...brotherly. She wanted it to be real. She would catch Stefan's eye often and he would give her a look that sent chills down her spine. Something wasn't right.

As she cleaned up the dishes after dinner, Stefan stepped into the kitchen, rinsing a glass he'd been sipping blood from while Damon talked in the hall with a neighbor that had knocked on the door. **"You seem happy."** he observed, leaning over her as he put the glass into the dishwasher. "Seem?" she asked, warily, turning to look at him. He was definitely in her personal space. Stefan shrugged and Elena sighed. "I don't know why you came, Stefan. I'm glad you did. It's good to see him light up like that. He misses you." she said. **"Why do you sound so skeptical?"** Stefan asked. "Because I know you. Something is off. And I just. I don't want to...be presumptuous but...I am, happy Stefan. Very. I love Damon." she said**. "Are you worried I'll do something inappropriate? "** Stefan asked. His voice conveyed shock, but his finger was running up her arm. "I'm not the rope in the Salvatore Brother's tug of war anymore, Stefan. I made my choice." she whispered, jerking her arm away. "So whatever game you're playing, leave me out of it."


End file.
